Non-refillable bottle.



W. R. VOSS. NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE. APPLICATION FILED 111x114, 1909.RENEWED MAY 8, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. C.

Patented July 11, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. VOSS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGN- MENTS, T0 COMMERCIAL NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE STOPPER COMPANY, OFSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1911.

Application filed June 4, 1909, Serial No. 500,239. Renewed. May 8,1911. Serial No. 625,760%.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM R. Voss, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Non-RefillableBottles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for controlling theoutlet and passage through the neck of a bottle to prevent the bottlefrom being refilled after it has been emotied of its contents.

The invention has as its object to provide a device adapted by itsconstruction to be inserted and fixed in the neck of a bottle, and byreason of the small number and the simplicity of its parts capable ofbeing produced and manufactured in quantities at such a low cost as torender its application and use practicable in all grades or classes ofbottled goods.

A further object is to provide a device of that character bearing thequality of preventing the inflow of liquid into a bottle the sameaffording a free outflow and discharge of the liquid from the bottle.

My said invention comprises a cage or body having valve-controlledopenings and valves and valve guides of peculiar and novel constructioncombined and arranged for operation in and with a bottle as hereinafterexplained.

A non-refillable bottle of my invention consists of the parts andcombination of parts as described and shown in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 0f the drawing represents a part of the neck of a bottle withthe non-refillable device fixed in place; the latter being shown partlyin section. Fig. 2 is a top-view of the device. Fig. 3 is a verticalsectional view of the shell or casing of the device with the valves andthe other parts removed. Fig. lis a similar view of the top-plate andthe valve guides. Fig. 5 is a side-view of the guard-plate detached fromthe top-plate. Fig. 6 is a plan or topview of the valve casing. Fig. 7is a similar view of the top plate. Fig. 8 is a plan of the sheet metalblank from which the spherical valve is produced. These several viewsare on an enlarged scale.

The non-refillable device or attachment of my invention is composed ofthe three principal parts which are herein termed for convenience ofdescription, the valve casing a, the valve cage b and the guard plate 0.These with the hollow spherical valves cl comprise the complete device.In their form and general construct-ion I have had in view theproduction of all the parts from aluminum, as that metal has not onlythe property of being unaffected by and of unaffecting many liquidswhich are used as foods or beverages; but that metal is alsoparticularly serviceable on account of its lightness and otherproperties.

The form of the casing lends itself readily to being struck up out ofsheet metal or of being cast. If formed of sheet metal the marginaledges of the openings 2 in the bottom are preferably turned down orflanged, as shown at 3, in order to furnish a broader and closer seatfor the valve than would be furnished by the thickness of the met-a1.Usually, openings in the bottom 4 for these valves will be found toafford a sufiicient area of outlet through the neck; and the arrangementor spacing of three apertures at uniform distance apart around thecircle has the advantage of reducing the superficial dimensions of theguard-plate over the outlets in the top, so that there will be lessobstruction by the plate to the outflow of the liquid. There is alsomore space afforded in the casing by limiting the number of valves tothree, than there otherwise would be with a greater number.

The part b termed the valvecage, is composed of a thin circular platehaving openings 5 in the top, corresponding in number and arrangementwith the openings 2 in the casing, but of somewhat larger area; each onebeing situated over one of 'the open.

ings 2 in the bottom of the casing. Around the edges of each opening andextending into the space beneath prongs or fingers 6 form a cage withinwhich the valved is confined to such an extent that while itis freelymovable to and fromits seat, the prongs prevent the valve from movingout of position and keep it always in line with the opening controlledby it.

The prongs 6 are preferably formed by slits in the metal within thecircle of the opening and removing those portions of the metal which arenot required for the prongs and then bending perpendicularly down orinward the integral portions of the metal. The prongs 6, usually four innumber to each valve, are situated at intervals apart around the edge ofthe opening.

After the valves cl are placed in position the cage 6 is fixed in thecasing a by turning the edge of the plate over the rim of the casing,the parts being united by spinning or crimping the metal or otherwisesecuring them to produce a tight oint.

In devices of this character containing valved controlled openings thevalves are usually protected from access and prevented from beingtampered with by providing a guard between the valves and the mouth ofthe bottle, in the form of a wire screen or of a perforated plate fixedover the outlets in the casings the openings in which are either ofsufficiently small area to prevent the introduction of a wire or similarappliance by means of which the valve may be held away from its seatwhile thebottle is being tilted and its mouth held under the surface ofa body of liquid to effect a refilling of the bottle; or else thepassage or space above the valve is made 11101601 less circuitous toprevent the use of such means for holding the valve away from its seat.The guard or protection 0 for the same purpose in my improved deviceconsists of a solid or unperforated plate having lobes or portions 7 ofcurved outlines lying directly over and covering the openings in the topof the casing, and cusps or cut-away portions 8 between the lobes. Atthe last named points the metal is removed between the lobes, uncoveringthe top of the casing between the outlet openings, and affording alarger outlet area for the liquid than there is in the combined area ofthe outlet openings in the top of the casing. The lobes or portions 7lying over the openings in the top plate extend beyond the marginaledges of these openings at and near the circu1nference of the casing andprevent the valves from being reached under the plate Z) and held ofithe seat by a wire or other means inserted through the mouth of thebottle. This guard-plate has advantages over the perforated plate andthe wire screen, not only in efficiency and in the feature ofcleanlinessbut also in the feature of being equally efficient and cleanwhen in use with a thick or heavy liquid, as with a thin liquid.

A novel feature in the non-refillable bottle of my invention consists inthe combination with the valve-casing and cage of a spherical valvehaving the quality of floating on the surface of the liquid, and of suchextreme buoyancy that it will be invariably carried to its seat and heldin the opening by the infiowing liquid, 011 any attempt being made tointroduce the liquid by immersing the mouth of the bottle below thesurface of the liquid; or to refill, by forcing in the liquid while thebottle is held inverted.

An important quality in the valve (Z, therefore in addition to itsspherical shape whereby it will seat on its opening 2 in all positionsof the valve and of the bottle is its buoyancy, and to that end I formor produce a hollow sphere from a single piece of sheet metal by cuttingthe blank 6 to the shape or outline shown in Fig. 8, and then bring theblank to a spherical shape by means of dies or formers. This is readilydone by drawing or pressing the center portion 10 into a semi-sphericalshape, and afterward bending over and drawing together the segments 12evenly until their edges join on curved lines converging to the center.The first operation wherein one half of the sphere is produced from thecenter portion 10 is performed by hemispherical male and female dies ofany well known construction, the second operation is carried on by meansof a cup-shaped female die, and in that oper ation the segments aregradually bent and brought together with close joints that aresufficiently tight to keep the liquid from getting inside and securingthe required buoyancy.

The device is fixed in place in any well known manner, but preferably byproviding a groove in the inner wall and a shoulder below the groove onwhich the bottom of the valve-casing will seat when the easing is forcedinto the neck of the bottle. The groove is filled with cement or apacking ring is forced in between the casing and the groove for the samepurpose.

I claim 1. In a device to prevent the refilling of a bottle, a valvecasing having a fiat bottom, openings in the bottom, a spherical buoyantvalve fitted to a seat in each opening, means for limiting the movementsof the valves and alining them with respect to the valveseats comprisingthe top plate having depending valve-guides and having openings betweenthe guides.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with avalve-casing having a flat bottom and a standing rim and pro.- videdwith openings in the bottom, of a buoyant spherical valve adapted toseat on each opening, an apertured top-plate having valve guides on theunderside, and a guard plate standing clear of the top plate and adaptedto cover the openings therein.

WILLIAM R. VOSS.

Vitnesses:

M. REGNER, EDWARD E. OSBORN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

